152 THE DOMESTIC CAT. 



had been eaten; but, in spite of this, the animals 

 continued as numerous as before. That Cats are 

 thus able to resist poison, seems to arise from the 

 peculiar irritability of their stomach, and a ten- 

 dency of the peristaltic motion to inversion; thus 

 exciting them to vomit immediately on the intro- 

 duction of substances that are offensive to them. 

 By this means they rid themselves of the poison 

 before it has remained long enough in the stomach 

 to be mixed with the gastric juice, and be dissolv- 

 ed in sufficient quantity to excite any dangerous 

 inflammation. How far opium, laurel-water, or 

 other vegetable narcotic poisons, would operate 

 towards destroying the animals, has not, perhaps, 

 been yet ascertained. 



The whiskers of Cats are supposed to be given 

 them for the purpose of ascertaining whether any 

 aperture, through which they are about to pass, 

 be wide enough to admit their bodies. These con- 

 sist of long bristles, proceeding not only from their 

 upper lips, but also from above the eyes, and from 

 each cheek. When they are all erected, their 

 points lie in the circumference of a circle, at least 

 equal to the circumference of any hole through 

 which their bodies can pass. The animals have 

 likewise the power of erecting and bringing for- 

 ward the whiskers on their lips; probably for the 

 purpose of feeling whether the place they enter 

 be further permeable or not. 



The general extent of a Cat's age is ten or 



twelve 



